Is the Messenger, sallallaahu 'alaihi wassallam, present and to to found in every place? And did he know the affairs of the Unseen?

Answer:

It is known in the Religion by necessity, and by the evidences of the legislation (sharee'ah), that the Messenger of Allaah, may the salutations and peace of Allaah be upon him, is not present (or to be found) in every location. Indeed his body is in his grave only in al-Madeenah al-Munawara. As for his soul, then it is in the highest company in Paradise. And that which is evidence for that is what is established from him, sallallaahu 'alaihi wassallam, that he said:

"O Allaah, (place me) in the highest company"

(Al-Bukhaaree, Chapter of Battles, 4437. Muslim, Chapter of the Excellence of the Companions, 87-2444)

He said this three times and then passed away. Indeed, the Scholars of Islaam, from the Companions and those who followed them, have agreed by concensus ('ijmaa), that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alaihi wassallam, was buried in the house of A'isha (radhi Allaahu anhaa), which was next to the Sacred Mosque (in Madeenah). And his body has not ceased to remain there thoughout history. As for his soul and the souls of the rest of the Prophets and Messengers and the Believers, then all of them are in Paradise, in lofty stations and levels in accordance to that which Allaah has specified for them due to their knowledge, faith (eemaan) and patience upon undertaking hardships in the path of calling to the truth.As for the unseen, then noone knows it except for Allaah alone.

That which was known by the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wassallam) and other than him from the creation of the unseen matters, it was that which Allaah had informed him of, from that which is found in the Noble Qur'aan and the Pure Authentic Sunnah - from the explantions/clarifications of the affairs of Paradise, Hellfire and Judgement Day and other than that, from that which is indicated in the Qur'aan and authentic ahadeeth, such as news regarding the Great Liar/Anti-Christ (Ad-Dajjaal), the Sun rising from the West, the emergence of the Beast of the earth, the descent of 'Eesaa ibn Maryam close to the Hour (Judgement Day), and that which resembles it, due to the statement of Allaah:

"Say: None in the Heavens and the Earth knows the Ghaib (Unseen) except Allaah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected." (An-Naml:65)

And His, The Most High, statement:

"Say,(O Muhammad): I do not say to you that with me are the treasures of Allaah, nor that I know the Unseen.." (Al-An'aam:50)

And the statement of Allaah in Sooratul-A'raaf:

"Say, (O Muhammad): I have no power of benefit nor (avert) harm for myeslf except as Allaah wills. If I had knowledge of the Unseen (Ghaib), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe." (Al-A'raaf: 188)

And the ayaat with this meaning are many. And it established authentically upon the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wassallam), in narrations that show that he did not have knowledge of the Unseen. From that is what is established in his (salallaahu 'alaihi wassallam) response to (the Angel) Jibreel when he asked (the Messenger of Allaah):

"When is the Hour?" He (salallaahu 'alaihi wassallam) said: "The one being questioned knows no better than the questioner."

He (salallaahu 'alaihi wassallam) also said: "Regarding five (matters), none knows them except Allaah", then he (salallaahu 'alaihi wassallam) recited:

"Verily, Allaah! With Him alone is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in which land he will die. Veril Allaah is All-Knower, All-Aware." (Luqmaan:34)

And from that is also the incident of the accusations of lewdness from the slanderers of A'isha (radhi Allaahu 'anhaa), when he (salallaahu 'alaihi wassallam) did not know her innocence (from the lies against A'isha) until the Aayah was revealed in Soorah an-Noor. And also when the necklace of A'isha (radhi Allaahu 'anhaa) was lost in one of the battles and he (salallaahu 'alaihi wassallam) did not know its whereabouts, and he sent a group to go and search for it, but they were not able to find it - and when her camel stood up, they found it under it. And this is just a few from many Prophetic narrations that are to be found with this meaning.

As for that which some of the Soofees think from his (salallaahu 'alaihi wassallam) knowing the Unseen matters and him (salallaahu 'alaihi wassallam) being present in front of them on the occassion of the celebration of his (salallaahu 'alaihi wassallam) [so-called] birthday and other than that, then this is something false with no foundation or [textual] origin to it. And this is something by way of their ignorance of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah and that which the Righteous Predecessors (As-Salafus-Saaleh) were upon. So we ask Allaah for ourselves and for all Muslims goodness from that which they are tried/afflicted with, just as we ask Him, the Most Perfect, that He guides us and them altogether, to His Straight Path - indeed He is the Hearer and One who responds (to those who supplicate to Him).